Privacy Policy - Cleaners Harrow

This Privacy Policy explains how Cleaners Harrow collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. It applies to all Cleaners Harrow customers in the area, as well as prospective customers, website users, and individuals who contact us for quotes, bookings, or service support. By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

1. Who We Are

Cleaners Harrow provides domestic and commercial cleaning services. In the course of delivering these services, we act as a data controller for the personal information we collect and determine how and why it is processed. Where we engage third parties to process personal data on our behalf, they act as data processors under our instructions and only for the purposes permitted by this policy.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect only the data necessary to provide our services, manage our customer relationships, and meet legal obligations. The types of personal data we may collect include:

• Identity data: name, title, and any relevant business or household contact details.
• Contact data: address, email address, and phone number.
• Service data: booking details, cleaning preferences, access instructions, service notes, and appointment history.
• Payment data: payment status, billing records, and transaction references. We do not store card details unless explicitly stated during a secure payment process handled by a payment provider.
• Communication data: messages, complaints, feedback, and correspondence related to our services.
• Technical data: limited device or usage information if you interact with our online services, such as IP address, browser type, and page interactions.
• Special category data: in most cases, we do not intentionally collect special category data. However, if you voluntarily provide information relating to health, access needs, or vulnerability so that we can safely provide a service, we will process it carefully and only where lawful.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We may collect personal data directly from you when you:

• request a quote or book a service;
• communicate with us by phone, email, form, or message;
• provide access or service preferences;
• make a payment or request an invoice;
• leave feedback, make a complaint, or ask a question.

We may also collect data indirectly from trusted sources where necessary, such as payment providers, scheduling platforms, or referral partners, always in accordance with applicable law.

4. How We Use Your Data

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• to provide cleaning services and manage bookings;
• to communicate with you about your service requests;
• to process payments and issue invoices;
• to keep records of completed work and customer preferences;
• to improve our services, training, and internal operations;
• to handle complaints, claims, and disputes;
• to comply with legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements;
• to protect our business, customers, and staff from fraud, misuse, or security incidents.

We will only use your data for the purposes for which it was collected, unless we reasonably determine that another compatible purpose is required or permitted by law.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under the GDPR, we must have a lawful basis to process personal data. We rely on the following bases where appropriate:

Contract

We process data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, such as arranging a cleaning appointment, managing a booking, or providing an agreed service.

Legal Obligation

We may process certain data to comply with legal requirements, including accounting rules, tax obligations, insurance requirements, and record-keeping duties.

Legitimate Interests

We may process data where it is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This includes administering our services, preventing fraud, improving customer experience, and maintaining business records.

Consent

Where consent is required, we will ask for it clearly and separately. You may withdraw consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before withdrawal.

Vital Interests

In rare situations, we may process data to protect someone’s vital interests, for example if urgent information is needed in an emergency.

6. Data Sharing and Processors

We may share personal data only when necessary and with appropriate safeguards. This may include:

• service providers and processors that help us deliver our services, such as scheduling systems, payment processors, accounting software providers, and IT or storage providers;
• professional advisers such as accountants, insurers, or legal advisers, where needed;
• public authorities or law enforcement agencies where required by law;
• subcontractors or cleaning staff who need access to limited information to complete a booking safely and effectively.

All processors are required to process data only on our instructions, keep it secure, and comply with data protection law. We do not sell your personal data.

7. International Transfers

If any processor stores or accesses data outside the UK, we will ensure suitable safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or equivalent protections recognised by law.

8. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy. Retention periods depend on the type of data and the reason we hold it. In general:

• booking and service records are retained for the period needed to manage the customer relationship and handle disputes;
• financial and tax records are retained for the period required by law;
• customer communication records are retained for a reasonable time to support service continuity, complaint handling, and business administration;
• where consent-based marketing is used, data is kept until you withdraw consent or it is no longer needed.

When data is no longer required, we securely delete, anonymise, or archive it in accordance with our retention practices.

9. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff confidentiality obligations, and limited access based on operational need. While no system is completely secure, we continually review and improve our safeguards.

10. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. Subject to legal limits and exemptions, these include:

• Right of access: you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to erasure: in certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete your personal data.
• Right to restrict processing: you can request that we limit how we use your data in specific situations.
• Right to data portability: you may request that we provide your data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable.
• Right to object: you can object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, we may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the time limits required by law.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children unless it is provided by an adult customer as necessary for service-related reasons. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services, or our data processing practices. Any revised version will apply from the date it is published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how their information is protected.

13. Summary of Our Commitment

Cleaners Harrow is committed to handling personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only what we need, use it for clear and legitimate purposes, retain it for no longer than necessary, and apply suitable safeguards when sharing it with trusted processors. We also respect your rights and will work to ensure your information is treated with care and confidentiality. Privacy and trust are fundamental to our service relationship with every customer in the Harrow area.